December 7, 2007. Guy Ritchie won my attention and affection for SNATCH and LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS. REVOLVER is clearly, and perhaps unfortunately, different than those movies. The comparisons to USUAL SUSPECTS and FIGHT CLUB are de rigueur but fail to capture the spirit of any of the three films. While it is easy to see how some people might fail to appreciate the narration, I found it engaging in the same way that I like Deckard’s voice in BLADE RUNNER. It is not an accident that it is a movie about a con and it feels like you are being setup. “In every game and con there is always an opponent and there is always a victim, the trick is to know when you are the later so you can become the former.” The simple con, like three-card Monte, and unpretentious slight of hand magic, both require distractions and accomplices. “The opponent simply distracts the victim by getting them consumed with their own consumption.” Revolver has both of these ingredients in spades. The revenge elements are reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo. The editing, especially the action scenes, which are delightfully plentiful, is energetic and engaging. Ray Liotta, the casino owner and antagonist, is brave for his weeping demand for respect, wardrobe choices and blue tinted sequences. As a long time player, I enjoyed the use of chess as a metaphor for war and life. The visual sequences of the chess games were among my favorite. “You can only get smarter by playing a smarter opponent.” “You do all the hard work and I just help you along. The art is for me to feed pieces to you and make you believe that you took those pieces because you’re smarter and I am dumber.” The animated sequences were interesting but did not appreciably add to the narrative. One dominant theme is that every man is his own worst enemy. “Every man has a weakness.” “Use your perceived enemy to destroy your real enemy.” The theme of greed is reinforced with opulent backgrounds, massive frescoes, bags of cash, huge stacks of casino chips and suitcases of assorted currency. The 13th floor dialogue explores inner voices, internal dialogue and William James’ many selves. “You heard the voice for so long that you believe it to be you.” “The greatest trick that he ever pulled was making you believe that he is you.” “The bigger the trick and the older the trick, the easier it is to pull.” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365686/
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Revolver
December 7, 2007. Guy Ritchie won my attention and affection for SNATCH and LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS. REVOLVER is clearly, and perhaps unfortunately, different than those movies. The comparisons to USUAL SUSPECTS and FIGHT CLUB are de rigueur but fail to capture the spirit of any of the three films. While it is easy to see how some people might fail to appreciate the narration, I found it engaging in the same way that I like Deckard’s voice in BLADE RUNNER. It is not an accident that it is a movie about a con and it feels like you are being setup. “In every game and con there is always an opponent and there is always a victim, the trick is to know when you are the later so you can become the former.” The simple con, like three-card Monte, and unpretentious slight of hand magic, both require distractions and accomplices. “The opponent simply distracts the victim by getting them consumed with their own consumption.” Revolver has both of these ingredients in spades. The revenge elements are reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo. The editing, especially the action scenes, which are delightfully plentiful, is energetic and engaging. Ray Liotta, the casino owner and antagonist, is brave for his weeping demand for respect, wardrobe choices and blue tinted sequences. As a long time player, I enjoyed the use of chess as a metaphor for war and life. The visual sequences of the chess games were among my favorite. “You can only get smarter by playing a smarter opponent.” “You do all the hard work and I just help you along. The art is for me to feed pieces to you and make you believe that you took those pieces because you’re smarter and I am dumber.” The animated sequences were interesting but did not appreciably add to the narrative. One dominant theme is that every man is his own worst enemy. “Every man has a weakness.” “Use your perceived enemy to destroy your real enemy.” The theme of greed is reinforced with opulent backgrounds, massive frescoes, bags of cash, huge stacks of casino chips and suitcases of assorted currency. The 13th floor dialogue explores inner voices, internal dialogue and William James’ many selves. “You heard the voice for so long that you believe it to be you.” “The greatest trick that he ever pulled was making you believe that he is you.” “The bigger the trick and the older the trick, the easier it is to pull.” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365686/
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Where the Truth Lies
October 7, 2005. Written and directed by Atom Egoyan, Where the Truth Lies is based on the Rupert Holmes novel of the same name. Atom also directed the sexually charged EXOTICA, with a spectacular performance from Mia Kirshner. I find the title of the movie quite descriptive because it explores the nature of truth and price you can pay when you push for it at all costs. Alison Lohman is excellent as the celebrity journalist who gets in over her head while interviewing a show business team that is reminiscent of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin (played by Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth). Like EXOTICA, the explicit sexual content is integral to the plot. The story takes many twists and turns, both in time and space, but the final scene is rewarding. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373450/
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Hunting Party
September 14, 2007. Written and directed by Richard Shepard, who also directed OXYGEN (about a masochistic cop) and THE MATADOR (about a hit man and a businessman who experience a crisis of conscious). I love movies that are based on fact and so when the movie starts with "Only the most ridiculous parts of this story are true" my expectations are peaked. In terms of stylistic elements I enjoyed the "As for me" in neon above our protagonists head as he utters the words. The close up of a very pregnant woman who has been shot in the belly five times was quite disturbing, especially as one remembers that this is based on a war where atrocities were commonplace. Some of the lines that I love are "ethnically cleansed for your protection, nice vibe right?" and "being that close to death and alive is completely addictive". The use of what one assumes is indigenous music is masterful. The addition of actual footage from actual war correspondents to underscore points is well done and not abused. Especially poignant was showing the war torn Olympics symbols. I like the contrast between "The Fox" they are hunting and the actual fox hunt. However, the scene where "The Fox" is caught is highly improbable, if morally satisfying. The fact versus fiction sequence at the end did not disappoint. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455782/
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